Private mission to rescue NASA’s aging telescope runs into its own trouble
Summary
A private company’s spacecraft, Link, designed to rescue NASA’s aging Swift telescope, has developed thruster problems and started spinning uncontrollably. The issue disrupts communication and delays the mission to boost the telescope to a higher orbit before it crashes to Earth this fall.Key Facts
- The Link spacecraft is operated by Katalyst Space Technologies.
- Link launched about three weeks ago to help the Swift telescope.
- Swift, launched in 2004, is losing altitude faster due to recent solar activity.
- Swift needs to be lifted to a higher orbit to keep studying cosmic explosions like gamma ray bursts.
- Scientific observations from Swift are paused until the rescue mission succeeds.
- NASA is funding the rescue with $30 million, and the mission was planned quickly within a year.
- Link’s thruster problems cause it to spin uncontrollably and lose communication.
- Despite problems, Katalyst says other parts of Link are working well and the mission continues.
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